Antitheft container



Feb. l0, 1942. F, s BUTKE ETAL 2,272,790

ANTITHEFT CONTAINER Feb. 10, 1942. F. s. BUTKE ETAL ANTITHEFT CONTAINER Filed sept. 19, 1940 2 sheets-sheet 2 II. .w 44' 23 27 Patented Feb. 10, 1942 2,272,790 ANHTHEFT CONTAINER Frank S. Butke and William Fairchild, Evansville, Ind.

VApplication September 19, 1940, Serial No. 357,476

` (c1. cs2-42) 4 Claims.

This invention relates to an anti-theft container, and has for one of its objects the production of a simple and eicient container for supporting empty bottles in a manner whereby the empty bottles may not be released until merchandise is placed within the container and the container is closed by a person making delivery.

A further object of this invention is the production of a simple and eflicient locking rod for locking the lid of a container in a closed position.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a front elevational View of the lcontainer;

Figure 2 is an end elevational View of the container;

Figure 3 is a vertical sectional view taken on line 3-3'of Figure 1;

Figure 4 is a vertical sectional View taken on line 4 4 of Figure 2;

Figure 5 is a horizontal sectional view taken on line 5-5 of Figure 4;

Figure 6 is a vertical sectional view similar to Figure 4 showing the locking rod in a locked position;l

Figure 7 is a horizontal sectional view taken on 1 1 of Figure 6; l

Figure 8 is a horizontal section taken on line 8 8 of Figure 2;

Figure 9 is a fragmentary perspective view of a portion of the locking rod; and

Figure 10 is a sectional perspective view of a portion of the container showing one of the hanger brackets. Y

By referring to the drawings, it will be seen that II) designates the container which may be of any suitable or desired shape but is preferably of a rectangular structure. The container is provided with a hanger II upon the bottom thereof, which hanger II comprises a floor plate I2 having notches I3 formed therein with the entrance openings of the notches I3 extending outwardly toward the front of the container. The side edges of the notches I3 are adapted to iit under the bead I4 of an empty bottle I5 and support the empty bottle I in a suspended position below the container I0. The hanger II is provided with a front wall I6 having apertures formed therein through which the upper ends of empty milk bottles may be extended for suspending the milk bottles from the bottom of the container I6 in-the manner shown in Figure 1, and these apertures I'I are properly designed as toshape to receive the beads I4 of the empty bottles I5.

A locking bolt I8 is slidably mounted within the container IIJ and is supported in position by means of a guide I9. This locking bolt I8 carries a horizontal bar 26 which is adapted to extend longitudinally of the hanger I I near the floor portion I2 thereof -in a manner shown in Figures 1 and 4, and` across the entrance openings of the notches I3 in a manner as shown in detail in Figures 3 and 8. When the horizontal bar 20 is in this position the empty container or bottles I5 will be held within the notches I3 and will be prevented from being removed. The horizontal bar 20 spans the entrance openings oi the notches I3, as shown. The hanger is provided with end plates 2| which terminate short of the front wall I6 to provide openings 22 into which the ends 23 of the horizontal bar 20 fit, in this way providing a guide for the ends of the horizontal bar 20. The bottom portion of the hanger |I is preferably braced by means of a hanger bracket 24 which may be secured to a suitable support, as at 25, shown in Figure 2. The container I0 may also be secured to a support by means of the hanger bracket 26, as shown in Figures 2 and 10.

The upper end of the locking bar I8 isadapted to extendinto an aperture 2l formed in a keeper plate 28 secured near one side edge of the horizontal sliding top or lid 29. This plate 28 extends only for approximately one-half of the length of the top 29 and constitutes also a means for limiting the sliding of the top or lid 29 in one direction, as shown in dotted lines in Figure 4. The lid or top 29 is provided with a ange 30 at one end to facilitate the gripping of the lid or top 29 by the lingers of an operator.

A primary latohing trigger 3| is pivotally secured at or near the bottom of the container I0 and carries a coil spring 32 to normally hold the trigger 3| for frictional contact withv the locking bar I8. The trigger 3| is provided with an eX- tended outer end 33 whereas the inner end of the trigger 3| is adapted to control the locking rod I 8, as shown in Figures 5 and 7. This locking rod I8 is provided with a notch 34 near the lower end of the rod. A second trigger 36 is pivotally secured at or near the bottom of the container I0 and is provided with an outwardly extending end 31 and an inwardly extending end 38, the end 38 being adapted to frictionally engage the locking rod I8, a coil spring 39 being provided for the trigger 36 to provide this frictional contact.

When the container IU is empty, and the empty milk bottles or containers are suspended from the hanger II, as shown in Figure 4, the locking rod I8 is in a retracted position and the primary trigger 3l engages the notch 34 thereby holding the locking rod I8 in this retracted position. The lid or cover 29 may then be moved to the position shown in dotted lines uncovering approximately one-half of the upper end of the container IIJ to permit a delivery man to place a milk bottle or other article Within the container I0, as shown in Figure 6 against the extension 33 of the trigger 3| to move the trigger 3l out of engagement with the notch 34. The delivery man may then close the lid 29 and manually move the horizontal rod 20 and locking bar I8 upwardlyV to the position shown in Figure 6 Where the inner end 38 of the trigger 36 will engage the notch 34 against accidental removal until the lid 29 is opened and the trigger 3I is disengaged from the notch 34 by the delivery man who places a milk bottle against the latch trigger 3| for releasing the latch trigger 3|. When a milk bottle or other article is placed in the container I against the end 33 of the latch trigger 3l, the trigger 3| may be moved out of locking position with the locking rod I8, and when the lid 29 is closed, the horizontal bar and rod I8 may be moved upwardly for lockingengagement with the keeper plate 28 and the end 38 of the second trigger 36 will lock the vlocking rod I8 in a locking position in engagement in the locking bar I8 and hold this locking bar in this position to prevent the lid 29 from being opened. When the locking bai` is in a raised position the milk bottles suspended from the hanger II may be easily removed since the horizontal bar 20 will be raised to the position shown in Figure 6 above the bead I4 of the suspended bottle or bottles I5. v

The box will then be locked in a closed position until the occupant of the dwelling opens the door or window 40 whereupon the locking bolt 4I carried by the window frame 42 may be moved to the dotted position shown in Figure 2, and withdrawn from the keeper 43, which` keeper 43 is carried by the vertically extending and slidable gate 44 mounted upon the container III. When the vertically sliding gate 44 is raised, the occupant of the dwelling may reach into the container and remove the articles therefrom, and may also release the trigger 36 from engagement with the notch 34 to lock empty bottles I5 within the hanger after the bottles have been placed in position. The upward movement of the gate 44 may be limited by means of a stop 45 carried within the container I0, which stop may be engaged by means of a suitable hook 46 carried by the bottom of the gate or door 44. A ange 46 is carried by the upper end of the gate or door 44 to facilitate the movement of the gate. The gate or door 44 as well as the lid or cover 29 may be `slidably mounted in any suitable or desired manner without departing from the spirit of the invention, one form being that of the rolled ange structure shown in the drawings.

As indicated in Figure 3, the-container as well as the doors thereof may be insulated by means of insulating panels 41, and the operating parts of the mechanism may be then suitably located to accommodate this insulation material. Any suitable type of insulation may be employed, as desired, and the device may be effectively used with or without such insulation, the insulation being preferably'provided where the container is subjected to severe temperature changes.

It should be understood that the present device in the nature of the container ID may be placed adjacent a door or window without departing from the spirit of the invention, which window or door may engage the sliding bolt 4I in a manner similar to that shown in Figure 2. When the door or window is closed, the bolt will be retained in a closed or locked position and may not be released until .the door or window is opened.

When the empty milk bottles I5 have been placed in the hanger and the bar 2U is in the position to close the front or open ends of the notches I3 as shown in Figure 1, the trigger 3I will engage the notch 34 and hold this bar in this position and the containers or bottles I5 will be held with the lid 29. The container cannot then be opened until the operator raises the window 40 and releases'the bolt 4I from the gate 44.

It should be understood that the container may be used as a receptacle for milk, butter, eggs and other dairy products.

I Certain detail changes in the mechanical construction, and arrangement of parts may be employed without departing from the spirit of the invention, so long as such changes fall within the scope of the appended claims.

Having described the invention, what is claimed is:

1. A device of the class described comprising a container adapted to receive articles, the container having an open top, the container having a cover adapted to slide across the top of the container to and from a closed position, a hanger suspended below the container and adapted to engage the neck of a milk bottle to suspend a milk bottle below the container, said hanger comprising a frame having notches designed to receive the bead and neck of a milk bottle and being provided with forward entrance openings, a vertically movable horizontal locking bar adapted to extend across the entrance openings formed in the hanger to retain a milk bottle inthe hanger, means for locking the horizontal bar in a retaining position, and means carried by the horizontal bar for engaging the cover to hold the cover in a closed position against sliding movement when Jizl'ie horizontal bar is raised to a releasing posiion.

2. A device of the class described comprising a container having a slidable cover, the cover having an apertured keeper plate, a hanger suspended below the container, the hanger having articlereceiving apertures, the article-receiving apertures having entrance openings in one side thereof, a horizontal article-retaining rod carried by the hanger and adapted to close the entrance opening when the horizontal rod is in one position, a vertically extending locking bar carried by the horizontal retaining rod and adapted to engage the apertured keeper plate when the horizontal rod` is raised to free the entrance openings in the hanger to hold the cover in a locked position, the keeper plate limiting the sliding movement of the cover in one direction, the vertical locking bar having a notch formed therein, and spring-latch triggers adapted to selectively engage the notch to hold the rod in selected posiions.

3. A device of the class described comprising a container having an open top, a cover for closing said open top, a hanger suspended below the container, the hanger having article-receiving apertures, the article-receiving apertures having entrance openings in one side, a closure means for said entrance openings movable to an article-retaining position to retain articles in the articlereceiving apertures, releasable means for locking the closure means in an article-retaining position, means carried by the closure means and movable to an article-releasing position for engaging said cover to lock the cover in a closed position to prevent access to the interior of said container by unauthorized parties, means for locking said lastment-ioned means in the last-mentioned position, and a second door operable by an authorized party for permitting access to the interior of the container for facilitating removal of the contents of the container and facilitating the release of said last-mentioned locking means.

4. A device of the class described comprising a container having an open top, a cover for closing said open top, a hanger suspended below the container, the hanger having article-receiving apertures, the article-receiving apertures having entrance openings in one side, a closure means for said entrance openings movable to an article-retaining position to retain articles in the articlereceiving apertures, an automatic spring-pressed latch for locking the closure means in an articley retaining position, means carried by the closure 

